EP1521516B1 - Roll-up conveyor for a sod harvester - Google Patents

Roll-up conveyor for a sod harvester Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1521516B1
EP1521516B1 EP03764546.2A EP03764546A EP1521516B1 EP 1521516 B1 EP1521516 B1 EP 1521516B1 EP 03764546 A EP03764546 A EP 03764546A EP 1521516 B1 EP1521516 B1 EP 1521516B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sod
conveyor
roll
strip
transport conveyor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP03764546.2A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1521516A1 (en
Inventor
Emanuel Alphonus Antonius Hendriks
Mathias Marie Gerardus Hendriks
Johannes Gerardus Marie Hendriks
Wilhelmus Joseph Petrus Hendriks
Thomas E. Noyes
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Brouwer Turf Inc
Original Assignee
Brouwer Turf Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Brouwer Turf Inc filed Critical Brouwer Turf Inc
Publication of EP1521516A1 publication Critical patent/EP1521516A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1521516B1 publication Critical patent/EP1521516B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G20/00Cultivation of turf, lawn or the like; Apparatus or methods therefor
    • A01G20/10Pre-cultivated sod or turf; Apparatus therefor
    • A01G20/12Apparatus for cutting sods or turfs
    • A01G20/15Apparatus for cutting sods or turfs specially adapted for stacking sods or sod rolls
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G20/00Cultivation of turf, lawn or the like; Apparatus or methods therefor
    • A01G20/10Pre-cultivated sod or turf; Apparatus therefor
    • A01G20/12Apparatus for cutting sods or turfs
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10STECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S242/00Winding, tensioning, or guiding
    • Y10S242/03Coreless coilers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the art of sod harvesting, namely the cutting and rolling of sod strips from the ground for distribution and relaying at a job site.
  • Sod harvesting for commercial applications typically occurs by cutting strips of sod from the ground using a tractor-driven sod harvester.
  • the cut strips are formed into rolls and stacked for pick up and transportation in bulk.
  • the sod rolls are generally discharged at the rear, upper end of an inclined transport conveyor.
  • the rolls are preferably discharged in a location convenient for a worker to pick up the rolls of sod and stack them onto a pile, usually on a pallet carried by the sod harvester.
  • United States patent No. 3,509,944 (Brouwer et al. ) discloses a prior art sod harvester which includes such an inclined conveyor, and in which the rolls of sod are formed adjacent the upper end of the conveyor.
  • United States Patent No. 4,832,130 (Brouwer et al. ) discloses a self-propelled sod harvester.
  • the harvester includes an inclined conveyor, and the conveyor delivers the strips of sod into a separate roll-forming enclosure.
  • the roll-forming enclosure includes a pair of conveyors disposed generally at right angles to one another for forming the roll.
  • the formed rolls are discharged onto a cart at the end of the harvester which can convey the formed roll to either side of the cart and clear of the harvester for its next pass.
  • FIG. 1 depicts a side view of a sod roll 1 after discharge from the roll-up mechanism onto a platform 2 or conveyor (not shown). If the flap 3 is located too far clockwise, it could fall down, partially unrolling the roll of sod. If it is located too far counterclockwise, a flap may hang down as it is picked up for stacking, which may be inconvenient to the stacker. Stackers typically prefer to have the flap located consistently to make their handling of the roll more predictable. The flap location becomes more important when the roll of sod will be handled mechanically, as with the robotic sod stacker, such as in a related application entitled “Robotic Sod Stacker” and filed on the filing date of the present application.
  • One common method of rolling a strip of sod utilizes a roll-up conveyor 5, which is located at the rear upper end of the transport conveyor 4. Ahead of the roll-up conveyor, the sod roll is started by catching and turning back the leading edge on a curved piece of expanded metal 6, typically referred to as a starter gate. The sod continues to roll under a tray 7 that provides sufficient friction to hold the top of the newly started roll generally stationary as the transport conveyor 4 moves the sod rearward (to the left in Figure 1 ). As the roll moves rearward and grows, it encounters the roll-up conveyor 5, which is located above the transport conveyor 4. Roll-up conveyor 5 operates on a parallel plane but moves in a direction opposite and at a slightly slower speed than transport conveyor 4. This allows the sod roll 1 to finish being rolled in a smaller bundle than would be required if only a tray were used.
  • sod roll 1 As the sod roll 1 is completed at the end of roll-up conveyor 5, it can be ejected from between the two conveyors 4, 5 by a plate 8 positioned close to the end of the roll-up conveyor. When sod roll 1 encounters plate 8, it is displaced away from the roll-up conveyor 5, and the transport conveyor 4 ejects the sod roll 1 rearward.
  • the position of the flap can be controlled by the adjustable position of plate 8. As plate 8 moves further forward (to the right in Figure 1 ), sod roll 1 will be ejected sooner, and as plate 8 moves rearward (to the left), sod roll 1 will be ejected later.
  • This invention is directed to a roll-up conveyor that ejects the sod roll based on the position of the end of flap of the sod roll.
  • the roll-up conveyor of the present invention includes a device for sensing the end, or trailing edge, of the strip of sod and a device for holding the roll in the roll-up conveyor as it continues to roll.
  • the roll-up conveyor also includes a device for ejecting the roll from the roll-up conveyor in a manner responsive to the position of the trailing edge of the strip of sod.
  • FIG. 2 depicts a side view of a roll-up mechanism arranged in accordance with the principles of the invention.
  • the roll-up mechanism 20 includes a transport conveyor 4, a starter gate 6, a tray 7, and a roll-up conveyor 5, which operate as described in connection with Figure 1 .
  • the roll-up mechanism 20 further includes a device for sensing the end of the strip of sod, specifically a runner 9 rides on sod strip 10. Once the end of sod strip 10 has passed the runner 9, runner 9 drops down to the level of the transport conveyor. A flange linked to runner 9 activates a proximity switch 11. Although a proximity switch 11 is shown herein, one skilled in the art will recognize that other devices for sensing the end of the sod strip 10 could include a mechanical micro-switch, various proximity sensors, or an optical sensor.
  • a third, holding conveyor 12 located at the rear end of the roll-up conveyor holds the sod roll 18 in the roll-up conveyor.
  • Holding conveyor 12 is generally vertical and rotates in the same directions as roll-up conveyor 5, but at the same surface speed of transport conveyor 4.
  • the lower end of the holding conveyor 12 is located slightly lower than the rear end of roll-up conveyor 5.
  • the relative positioning of the conveyors forms a slight pocket between the two conveyors, which holds sod roll 18.
  • a roller may be substituted for the holding conveyor 12.
  • Figure 3 depicts a system 30 for ejecting the sod roll from 18 roll-up conveyor 5 in response to the position of the trailing edge of sod strip 10.
  • System 30 includes a valve 13 that controls rotation of the holding conveyor 12. When holding conveyor 12 stops, transport conveyor 4 carries the sod roll 18 rearward (to the left in Figure 2 ) and ejects sod roll 18.
  • Hydraulic valve 13 is controlled electronically.
  • controller 14 receives a signal. After a predetermined delay, controller 14 sends a signal to stop holding conveyor 12.
  • the predetermined delay can be controlled either with a timer or with a counter.
  • counter 15 counts pulses from a proximity sensor 16 that senses teeth of a sprocket 17 mounted to the transport conveyor 4 drive. As a tooth of sprocket 17 passes proximity sensor 16, proximity sensor 16 sends a signal to controller 14.
  • Roll-up mechanism 20 ejects sod roll 18 from roll-up conveyor 5 based on the position of the end, or the flap, sod roll 18, as sensed by runner 9.
  • the time delay from when the end of the strip is sensed can be adjusted so that the end of the flap is at a desired angular position about the roll at the moment when the roll is ejected from the roll-up conveyor.
  • the present invention eliminates variability in the position of the flap.
  • the present invention is less susceptible to variation in the length of sod because the trailing edge portion, or flap, of the sod strip is what controls the timing of the ejection. Variation in sod thickness and amount of slip have limited effect on the position of the flap because the sod continues rolling for only a short time after the control signal is generated.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Delivering By Means Of Belts And Rollers (AREA)
  • Soil Working Implements (AREA)
  • Harvester Elements (AREA)
  • Transplanting Machines (AREA)
  • Registering, Tensioning, Guiding Webs, And Rollers Therefor (AREA)
EP03764546.2A 2002-07-15 2003-07-14 Roll-up conveyor for a sod harvester Expired - Lifetime EP1521516B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US39591202P 2002-07-15 2002-07-15
US395912P 2002-07-15
PCT/US2003/021789 WO2004006644A1 (en) 2002-07-15 2003-07-14 Roll-up conveyor for a sod harvester

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1521516A1 EP1521516A1 (en) 2005-04-13
EP1521516B1 true EP1521516B1 (en) 2016-09-07

Family

ID=30115941

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03764546.2A Expired - Lifetime EP1521516B1 (en) 2002-07-15 2003-07-14 Roll-up conveyor for a sod harvester

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US7021584B2 (zh)
EP (1) EP1521516B1 (zh)
JP (1) JP2005523040A (zh)
KR (1) KR20050043889A (zh)
CN (1) CN1668181A (zh)
AU (1) AU2003261150A1 (zh)
CA (1) CA2463472C (zh)
WO (1) WO2004006644A1 (zh)

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CN102476757B (zh) * 2010-11-25 2014-10-15 王明新 一种平板式切绘一体机定位系统及定长输出切绘介质的方法
US20130306336A1 (en) * 2012-05-17 2013-11-21 Trebro Hoding, Inc. Sod roll count switch assembly
US8813861B2 (en) 2012-11-13 2014-08-26 1093929 Ontario Limited Flap and roll positioner for a sod harvesting apparatus
US9426937B2 (en) 2013-07-19 2016-08-30 Trebro Holding, Inc. Sod harvester with flap control device
US9648797B2 (en) 2013-07-19 2017-05-16 Trebro Holding, Inc. Sod harvester with flap control device
US9688476B1 (en) * 2016-05-02 2017-06-27 Trebro Manufacturing, Inc Sod harvester
CN108157070B (zh) * 2017-12-28 2020-08-28 安徽大江服装服饰有限公司 一种绿化用草皮收割装置
US11864498B2 (en) * 2019-03-31 2024-01-09 Firefly Automatix, Inc. Forming a sod roll
CA3142129A1 (en) 2019-06-17 2020-12-24 1045929 Ontario Limited Sod harvesting systems and related methods
WO2021202873A1 (en) * 2020-04-02 2021-10-07 Firefly Automatix, Inc. Sod roll forming mechanism
US11825777B2 (en) * 2020-10-14 2023-11-28 Firefly Automatix, Inc. Tuning synchronizing variables based on a sod harvester's speed
NL2027287B1 (en) 2021-01-07 2022-07-22 Erik Hendriks Holding Bv A sod harvester and method for automatically rolling up a slab of sod

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR20050043889A (ko) 2005-05-11
AU2003261150A1 (en) 2004-02-02
JP2005523040A (ja) 2005-08-04
CA2463472C (en) 2008-11-18
EP1521516A1 (en) 2005-04-13
CA2463472A1 (en) 2004-01-22
CN1668181A (zh) 2005-09-14
WO2004006644A1 (en) 2004-01-22
US7021584B2 (en) 2006-04-04
US20040188106A1 (en) 2004-09-30

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